In the prior art, engine thermal efficiency and environmental emissions were not paramount considerations. Internal combustion engines required a very highly refined petroleum gasoline or diesel fuel made from many thousands of chemical compounds. For most internal combustion engines, cooling water or air was required because of their very low thermal efficiencies. High combustion temperatures and poor control of air-fuel ratios caused excessive toxic exhaust emissions for both starting and idling operations. Additionally, use of the highly refined petroleum fuels entailed high costs for lengthy transportation between crude oil sources and giant refineries, and for local distribution and storage.
The problems suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which tend to reduce the effectiveness of prior internal combustion engines. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that internal combustion engines appearing in the prior art have not been altogether satisfactory.